Rhodes Digital Commons

The RU Digital Commons houses digital collections managed by Rhodes University. The Repository includes academic and research output from the Rhodes University community. The Repository is administered by Rhodes University Library Services. For any queries please contact the repository administrator at: digitalcommons@ru.ac.za

Rhodes University’s vision is to be an outstanding internationally-respected academic institution which proudly affirms its African identity and which is committed to democratic ideals, academic freedom, rigorous scholarship, sound moral values and social responsibility.

The Cory Library is at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Since the initial deposit of Sir George Cory's collections, there has been a particular focus on the history of the Eastern Cape, and on Grahamstown itself. There is a strong collection of material on Lesotho, and substantial holdings on the wider history of Southern Africa. The Library's archival holdings include Xhosa history, mission and church history, as well as education, mining, commercial and agricultural history.

The library grew from a diverse collection of printed material: books; reprints; journals; maps; antiquarian works, and a large collection of unpublished ‘grey literature’, put together by Margaret and JLB Smith in the years following WWII. These resources supported their own research on the marine fishes of southern Africa, and formed the nucleus of a library for the then Department of Ichthyology at Rhodes University. Now housed at SAIAB, the library continues to be a valuable national and international resource for the study of both marine and freshwater fishes, fisheries, and aquaculture. There is a strong focus on Africa. SAIAB is a Research Facility of the National Research Foundation.

The Division of Infrastructure and Operations provides a number of important services to support the University community in its teaching and learning, research and administrative functions. It is comprised of a number of departments: Residential Operations; Administration, Finances and Procurement; Facilities Servicing; and Infrastructure and Operations Systems. Facilities Servicing (previously known as Estates) is involved in the operational management of Rhodes University's facilities, including Building and Electrical Maintenance, Grounds and Gardens Maintenance, Fleet management, Campus Protection Services and provision of Civil Services.

Dr Saleem Badat served as vice-chancellor at Rhodes University, from 2006 to 2014. As a distinguished speaker and prolific author, Dr Badat contributed extensively to national and international debate on a number of topics, and the following collection is aimed at capturing and preserving the wealth of his contributions during his tenure at the Rhodes University.

The East London division of Rhodes opened with 50 students in 1981. In 2003 due to the Government's transformation of higher education program, it was announced that Rhodes East London was to be incorporated into Fort Hare University.

The Faculty of Commerce is the second largest faculty at Rhodes University commanding approximately 25% of the total student population. This means that one in four students you meet on campus is very likely to be registered for a degree in the Faculty – you have joined extraordinarily good company. The Faculty of Commerce consists of the Departments of Accounting, Economics, Information Systems, Management, Commerce Extended Studies and the Rhodes Business School

In 1942, with the support of the Anglican, Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churces, it was decided to establish a department of Divinity. The department was eventually opened in 1947. The Rhodes Divinity Department became the largest theological faculty in Africa, and the only English-speaking one. In 2001 after 54 years this important department at Rhodes was forced to close.

The Faculty of Education has dynamically positioned itself at the forefront of education transformation in the country. The Faculty concerns itself with education in the broadest sense, including the professional preparation of teachers, further in-service qualifications, as well as non-formal education. While operating predominantly in the Eastern Cape, the Faculty also serves the country and the SADC region. Apart from teaching and supervision, it is deeply involved in research, national policy development, and professional and community work

The Faculty of Humanities is by far the largest Faculty at Rhodes University. Comprising 11 Academic departments, 2 Schools and 3 Institutes, the Faculty is largely responsible for growth in student numbers at Rhodes over the past few years.

The Faculty’s vision is to be an academic centre that is respected nationally and internationally for its excellent teaching and research, and which seeks to play a productive role in the development of the Eastern Cape and Southern Africa. In pursuit of its vision the Faculty’s mission is to produce high-quality graduates who are capable of becoming leaders in legal practice, commerce, industry, politics or academia. Its aim is to conduct sound teaching and research and to promote community service.

The Rhodes University Faculty of Pharmacy is dedicated to achieving excellence in an environment of interdisciplinary co-operation, and mutual respect, consistent with the mission of the University and with the mission of the profession of Pharmacy. The mission of the Faculty is to promote pharmaceutical care through education, research, scholarship, creative endeavour and service. It is a multi-discipline, single department professional faculty. This is because, as a profession, pharmacy comprises a closely integrated body of knowledge and skills.

The Science Faculty is committed towards providing our students with the academic skills they will need to become the scientists of the future - to be able to contribute throughout long and illustrious careers towards making scientific discoveries as yet undreamed of, using equipment and technologies not yet invented, and improving the world for the benefit of people not yet born.

The Information Technology Division strives to meet the information and communication technology needs of the staff and students of Rhodes University. These needs are many and varied, and include the provisioning of services (network installations, IT infrastructure, computer hardware and software) through to user support. The IT Division installs and operates the University's high-speed wired and wireless network infrastructure and connection to the Internet, a SIP based VoIP telephone system, and provides central file storage and email facilities. We also make available a range of standard software, public-access computer labs and printing facilities. On-line information and a Helpdesk are available for consultation.

Rhodes University Library aims to be an excellent internationally-respected academic library through the provision of ready access to information resources, and by aiding in equipping people for lifelong learning. It is committed to quality user-focused service, fairness, innovation, professional integrity and social responsibility.

Rhodes University has 19 affiliated research institutes and units and 4 associated but independent research institutes (Dictionary Unit for South African English (DSAE), SA Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), National English Literary Museum (NELM) and the Albany Museum). Most of these research units have arisen out of specialized research activities in academic departments which grew to a point where a separate institute or unit was warranted. Approval for the establishment of an institute or unit requires Senate and Council approval and is dependant on resource implications and the need for a unit to focus on areas of research strength which align with the University’s research focus.

Professor Tebello Nyokong is currently a Distinguished Professor at Rhodes University. She holds the DST/NRF South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology, as well as Director of the DST-Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre focusing on sensors. The National Research Foundation (NRF) has awarded Professor Tebello Nyokong the Lifetime Achiever Award at the NRF ceremony on 27 August 2013 in Port Elizabeth.